The present invention relates generally to the construction of stairs, and more particularly to modular, offsite, assembly of false treads in various combinations incorporating simulated tread and risers, stair brackets, and balusters to substantially reduce the on-site installation labor costs while producing a more appealing traditional-looking staircase. A number of stairparts manufacturers offer some components needed to construct false treads on site including: bullnose and bullnose/covemolding for simulating the front of a real tread; decorative thin tread material to cover up the construction tread, decorative thin riser material to cover up the construction riser; decorative thin stair brackets to apply to the outside. Some parts offer a partially preassembled false tread composed of a plate of tread material with moldings attached on two sides designed to be cut to fit on site. All previous approaches have resulted in difficult on-site installation, using less than factory-accurate tools, offering inconsistent results, and incurring significant delays in the completion of a pleasing finished staircase.
In contrast, the present invention provides for off-site construction of the most complete stair-finishing modules possible for straight, flared, curved, and other unusually shaped stairways. These modules may be packaged for delivery and speedy onsite installation. The modules offer the further advantageous ability to preattach the balusters from the underside of the treadplate to permit easy prefinishing and extra-tight fitting of baluster base to tread. With or without preattached balusters, the use of the instant modules can eliminate all on-site mitering chores and reduce the installation of false treads to one or two easy steps. Simply described, the present invention simulates the appearance of a more expensive tread, riser, and stairbracket with an easy-to-install three- or four-sided cap that fits conventionally framed rough staircases or modular staircases as described in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,598, as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,464,870, 4,850,164, 4,866,894, 4,875,315, 5,205,093, 5,502,933, 5,613,341, 5,778,610, 5,791,101, 5,806,254, 5,899,032, 6,230,454 B1, and 6,088,977, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention provides modular false treads with returns that fully replace conventional piecemeal approaches to the construction and installation of simulated tread ends or full tread covers. Constructed from a variety of materials including wood, plastics, and composites, they may combine tread covering material, riser covering material, bullnose molding, and a decorative stairbracket in one, easy-to-install package complete with balusters. They can effectively simulate expensive installations of full sized and full thickness tread and riser installations for straight construction stairways, curved stairways, or even flairs.